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Reducing your Business Rates Bill
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From 1 April 2024, if you make certain improvements to your property that you occupy, you may get relief from higher business rates bills.
You do not need to apply for improvement relief or do anything differently. If you meet the necessary requirements, South Hams District Council will apply the relief to your bills.
What is improvement relief?
Improvement relief supports businesses who have invested in their property.
It provides relief from higher business rates bills, where the increase in your bill was due to making certain improvements to your property.
The relief lasts for 12 months from when the improvement works were completed.
You do not need to apply for improvement relief or do anything differently.
South Hams District Council will apply the relief to your bills if you are eligible.
To be eligible for improvement relief, you must:
- have qualifying improvement works, and
- meet the occupation condition.
You can find out more about which improvements are eligible here.
How does improvement relief work?
You will receive a certificate from the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) if you have qualifying works. The VOA will give the same information to South Hams District Council.
We will apply the relief and send you a revised bill if we are satisfied that you meet the occupation requirements.
This means that you have occupied the property during and after the improvement works.
If you have received a certificate of qualifying works from the VOA, this means that you may be eligible for improvement relief.
If you think your certificate for improvement relief is wrong, you should contact the VOA.
The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) values qualifying works and issues certificates to ratepayers. There is no right of appeal against the certified values, however, you should let the VOA know if you think there is something wrong with your certificate.
If you have questions about a certificate of qualifying works, please contact the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) at the email address on your certificate.
Please note that the VOA cannot answer queries about the occupation condition or your business rates bill.
You can contact the VOA using the email address on your letter or by using the VOA contact form.